Countdown
by HedgieX
Summary: Connor and Jess have been in hospital over Christmas, and everyone's mood has been low. The team finally reunite on New Year's Eve, though - presents, jokes, dancing, fights, and maybe even a proposal. As they find out, plenty can happen in one night...
1. Six o'clock

Six O'clock

"Here, Jess? Why did the chicken cross the road?"

"I've already heard this one a thousand times."

"Okay," Connor shrugged, rolled over in bed a little to face her in the opposite mattress across from him, "Why did the pig cross the road? Come on; enter into the spirit of Christmas!"

Jess sighed and curled up further under the covers. She focused her eyes on the door, hoped she wouldn't get the chance to murder Connor before someone arrived to distract her. "It's not been the greatest Christmas ever, to be honest."

"At least we had that pudding with all the raisins and cherries, hey? Everyone told me that hospital food was horrible, but it's actually not that bad. And for free, too!"

"Have you heard of taxes?"

The door swung open, and Becker rushed forward to her side, crouched down. She smiled for the first time in a while, let him brush back her hair and stroke her face. She savoured the warm gaze as he looked at her, realised how much she'd missed him.

"Hey, babe," he squeezed her hand, "How're you doing? I've really, really missed you."

"I've missed you too. So much."

Abby had entered behind him and sat down by Connor's bed, whilst Matt hovered in the middle. Connor and Abby were laughing, having a similar reunion to Jess and Becker. They were sweet, in their own way. But Jess really couldn't work out how Abby could put up with that guy all the time – a couple of days had driven her mad.

"Here, Matt," Jess called to him, thought he looked awkward on his own, "How's your week been?"

He sank down onto the edge of her bed, "Not bad. And yours?"

"Well, it's been worse," she grinned at Matt.

"You're so brave," Becker leant down and kissed her, "I brought your present, you know. I hope you'll like it."

"Yours is at home..."

"Don't worry about it. Having you back is the best Christmas present I could wish to have this year."

"Aww," Matt smiled, picked up his Tesco's carrier bag and rummaged through it, "Actually, we saved the Secret Santa presents to open with you two – aren't you honoured?"

"Well, it would've been a bit dull without us," Connor shouted across to them.

Abby laughed and helped him sit up in bed; everyone gathered around Jess. Matt handed out the presents silently, like it was a sacred ceremony. Connor shook his, Abby tried to peel back the paper and take a look inside.

"Okay. Three, two, one..."

The whole room was filled with 'ooh' and 'ahh' and 'Connor!'.

Abby held up a pair of woollen socks from Becker, "Very inventive, soldier boy."

"Yeah, well," Becker showed them all a pot of honey, and Matt smirked, "What, is it to sweeten me up?"

"Something like that."

Jess had a bracelet from Abby, Matt had a hat from Connor, and Connor had a _decent_ joke book from Jess. He grinned and opened it at the first page, but Abby shook her head. Jess realised that was how she did it – she kept him under control.

"Connor, I brought your present too. Although I don't know why I bothered."

"Thanks, Abby," he grinned as he ripped open a new book about the Jurassic period for dinosaurs, and immediately buried his head in it, leaning against Abby.

A couple of days before Christmas, there'd been an incident with a creature where Connor and Jess had been infected. They hadn't been badly injured, but they'd had to stay in quarantine in the ARC hospital.

Aside from being together in the ward, they'd not seen their other colleagues since then, and now it was New Year's Eve. They'd tried to stay optimistic, but it had been hard. Christmas without family was the worst thing in the world to Jess, and Connor too, even if he didn't admit it.

Today was really special; maybe it was a sacred ceremony, in some ways.

"Are we staying up all night, then?" Matt asked them.

"Well, it depends..." Abby glanced from Connor to Jess, "If they feel up to it. They look a bit peaky, don't you think?"

Connor dropped the book onto his knees, "We've been here for... for more than a week! All we've done is lie here! We have to have a party today! From now until midnight!"

"Here, Jess," Becker held out a present to her, a small rounded package, like a bauble. She peeled back the paper, slipped a box out of the bubble wrap. She opened it up slowly, screamed and threw her arms around him.

XxXxX


	2. Six thirty

**Thanks for the reviews! If anyone's got any ideas for things to happen before midnight, tell me! :) xxx**

Six Thirty

"Oh my..." Lester had appeared in the doorway, holding a tray of plastic mugs of coffee up. He looked as though he was about to drop them.

Everyone around his was laughing and cheering. Jess had tears running down her face, but presumably happy tears; in her hand she clasped a box with a tiny diamond ring inside. She looked like the happiest girl in the world.

"Come in, Lester," Matt suggested drily.

He put the cups down on the floor and sat down on the edge of the bed, straightening his tie, "I was going to ask what I'd missed, but I think the story would take a while..."

"Aren't you going to do it properly, Becker? Like, kneel down and all that?" Connor suggested from his own bed.

Abby gave him an elbow, "Just give them a minute, Connor."

Connor had proposed to Abby last year – their wedding was in summer. Abby knew how she'd needed time to digest it after he'd given her the ring, mainly because of how he'd done it...

Becker shuffled off the bed and knelt in front of her now, though, "Jess... Jessica Parker. Will you make me the happiest man in the world, and be my wife?"

"Suitably cheesey," Lester muttered, but even he was smiling.

"Yes," Jess sniffed, reaching out and hugging him, "Yes!"

He kissed her, then took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger – it fitted perfectly, "I love you, you know? And I've missed you, so much."

"Me too."

"We could do with something a little stronger than coffee, Lester," Matt smirked.

"Now you come to mention it..." Lester picked up the tray again, "I managed to slip a bit of whisky into them."

"Sneaky," Abby laughed as she took one, and tried it, "Oh my God, Lester! Coffee as well? I think I'm going to be sick."

Connor took a sip, "It's quite nice, actually."

"Thank you, Connor. At least _someone_ appreciates my effort," Lester took a gulp of his own drink. His eyes widened, as though he'd realised it was horrible himself, but didn't want anyone else to see.

Abby tried not to laugh, "It's New Year's Eve! We can drink whatever we want – even whisky and coffee mixed together!"

"Well, now..." Lester abandoned his improvised cocktail and turned towards Matt, "Abby and Connor are getting married, and so are Jess and Hilary, so..."

Matt choked, and liquid flew from his mouth and soaked his shirt. Nobody was sure if it was the drink or the suggestion, but Connor hit him on the back, and he stopped coughing. "I'm tied up."

"With whom?"

"Emily. She couldn't be here tonight – she sends her warmest wishes, by the way – but..." he coughed again, "But I'm perfectly happy with her, thank you, Lester."

"Fine. Can't do anything right today, can I?"

"Oh, chill, Lesty," Connor grinned, opening his new joke book, "Here, let me read you a joke to cheer you up. Errm... What's green and sings?"

"I don't know, Connor: what is green and sings?"

"Elvis Parsley."

"Oh dear..." Becker murmured, still clinging on to Jess. He had a huge smile spread across his face, and his eyes were glittering – Matt looked at his friend now, and thought he'd never seen him happier.

Connor stared at his boss, "Don't you get it, Lester? You know, Elvis Presley? Elvis Parsley? Parsley's green?"

"Yes, Connor, he gets it," Abby smirked.

"Mmm..." he turned a couple of pages, "What's green and runs around your garden?"

"Elvis Parsley?" Matt asked, keeping expression face serious.

"No, Matt. That was the last question. It's a different question now..." Connor rolled his eyes, "Obviously, it's a hedge!"

Everyone in the room burst out laughing. Jess stared down at her ring, holding Becker's hand, smiling brightly, "Don't worry, Connor – they're not very good at jokes."

"And we didn't even have to put up with the millions you must have told Jess whilst you were both here," Abby grinned at Connor affectionately, "I'm surprised you didn't bore her to death."

Jess shrugged, "It was a close call."

"What do you call two bananas? A pair of slippers. That's not funny," Connor continued.

"You said it, mate."

"Ooh, do you remember that programme? The one with the two bananas in pyjamas, and they ran down the stairs? What was that called again?"

"It's kind of obvious," Matt grinned again, "Bananas in Pyjamas."

"Oh, yeah."

XxXxX


End file.
